Kathy Lawrence
How will the promised boost in funding help to solve the social care crisis?
With a growing number of older people needing help to live independently at home, there is massive pressure on funding. A promised increase may go some way to helping. By Camille Leavold The UK Government recently announced a £3.5bn annual real-terms increase in funding for primary and community care in England, with Prime Minister Theresa May suggesting […]
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How caregivers can deal with stress-related insomnia
Can’t sleep for worrying? Or get to sleep but wake up in the night and can’t get off again? Caring for another person has its rewards but it also comes with stress. When stress starts to interfere with sleep, it can put you on a path to further sleep loss and a long list of […]
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How NHS GP videoconference consultations work
by Kathy Lawrence As the UK government has just announced that videoconferencing with GPs is the way forward for the NHS in England, we’re talking about how the service works, and whether it’s something that can help older people. Experiencing LIVI for the first time Our local GP practices have been contacting patients to let […]
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How can I care for mum with dementia when I can’t cope myself?
Dear Lesley I’ve recently learned my Mum has mixed dementia. She was diagnosed almost two years ago but I’ve only just found out. Since then she has also got septicaemia and pneumonia, although she’s on the mend from the pneumonia now. I have three brothers and I’m the only girl. I’m also the youngest. My […]
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Christmas celebrations and dementia
Christmas and other family celebrations can be an overwhelming time for someone living with dementia. A sudden influx of friends and family can cause individuals to feel stressed, agitated and confused. Active Minds outline their top tips for supporting your loved one through the Christmas period, ensuring you enjoy a magical festive time together. Planning […]
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Gifts for grandparents 2018 – food and drink
by Kathy Lawrence This is the edible section of our Christmas gift guide for older friends and family for 2018. In some cases we have been offered samples of these products for review and we make it clear where that has been the case. Bottles Where do you start? Spirits, wines and beers are available […]
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Gifts for grandparents 2018 – what to wear
By Kathy Lawrence In this section of our 2018 gift guide for seniors, we look at ideas of what to wear – for style, charm and function. As with our other reviews, we’ve made it clear where the supplier has sent us a sample for review. Do come back for more updates over the next […]
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Gifts for grandparents 2018 – travel and holidays
By Kathy Lawrence Days out, trips and holidays are a welcome gift for many. Here are just a few ideas. Just one in our series of articles of ideas for older friends and family. We haven’t experienced them ourselves, but we could be tempted! If your family are enjoying watching the likes of Timothy West […]
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Gifts for grandparents 2018 – hobbies and pastimes
By Kathy Lawrence In this article in our series of gift ideas for older friends and family, we look at ideas that we can work on together as well as individually. If you’re spending time with someone who’s struggling a bit with dexterity or understanding new concepts, then trying out these ideas together could be […]
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Gifts for grandparents 2018 – books and calendars
By Kathy Lawrence What do you buy for someone in their later years? We wanted to offer some ideas that could add a bit of luxury or fun to life, rather than necessities. In this first of our series, we look at books and calendars. We’ve made it clear where we’ve had the opportunity to […]
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